Ledger.



PATENTED DEG. 20, 1904.

J. BARKER.

LED GBR. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 17,1902.

, NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES 1 Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE JAMES BARKER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES F. BACKUS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LEDGER.

,SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,931, dated December 20, 1904.

Application filed June 17, 1902. Serial No. 112,016.

T0 cir/ZZ whom, it worry concern,.-

Beit known that I, JAMES BARKER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayneand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ledgers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates generally to loose-leaf ledgers, and particularly to a back therefor; and it consists in the novel construction of the back and in the peculiar arrangement and combination of the cover-operating mechanism housed therein.

The invention further consists in other details of construction, as will be fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section through a ledgerv embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line a: Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the back of the ledger, the partsl being detached and some shown in section.

The back referred toconsists of two complementary inclosing sections C and D, adapted to slide one within the other in the manner hereinafter set forth. Each section, as shown, is made from a single strip of sheet metal bent to form a back member E, sides F, and a cover portion G. An oblong metallic plate H is riveted to the Linder side of each of the cover portions', which are cut away at their ends,'as shown, to allow iianged portions f of the side members F to be riveted directly to the plates H, thereby forming smooth and even surfaces for the section-tops.

I represents guide-flanges upon one of the sections, as D, which receive the sides of the complementary member and permit of vertical movement of the sections in relation to each other. Each section also carries secured to its plate H post members A, which are adapted to telescope when the sections are in operative relation to each other. The covers K of the'ledger are provided with the usual clamping-plates L, hinged thereto, and these plates are in turn secured, by means of screws a and nuts b, to the cover-tops.

Journaled within bearings o, preferably upon the lower complementary section of the back, is a shaft M, having right and left hand screw-threads formed thereon upon opposite sides of the central bearing CZ. The shaft is further provided with a square end e, which projects through an openingf, formed in the section side. The shaft M is swiveled within the bearings and is held against endwise movement by means of suitable shoulders /L and a nut e', which engages one of the end bearings, as shown. i

O designate nuts upon the shaft, one cngaging each thread, as shown, and P are rigid links pivoted at their lower ends to ears ,7"

upon the nuts and at their opposite ends to lugs 7c, depending from the section C.

Q designates stops in the form of screws secured to the plate H upon the lower inclosing section adapted to limit the inward movement of the nuts.

In operation, the parts being ,as shown in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the covers are separated by rotating the shaft in a direction to cause the nuts to travel to the shaft ends, the shaft being actuated by a suitable key. (Not shown.) The ledger-leaves may then be inserted or removed from between the vcovers and the latter returned to their initial position by the rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction.

.From the description of my invention. it will be seen that the back described constitutes a housing for the operating mechanism, by means of .which the covers are drawn together or separated, and on account of the simple construction of the complementary sections a rigid and durable structure is produced at a minimum cost.

What I claim as my invention isy 1. In a loose-leaf ledger, a ledger-back having two complementary inclosing sections, each section having a top and ends with inwardly-turned iianges, the inner and outer surfaces of said flanges being Hush with the inner and outer surface of the top of the sections, and slidable connections between the sections.

2. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination with a ledger-back comprising two complementary vertically-movable inelosinzg` sections, each section having a top and ends with inwardly-turned ianges, the inner and outer surfaces of which being flush with the inner and outer surfaeevof the top ot' the sections, telescoping' posts between said sections, a shaft swiveled in bearings upon the inner surface of one of the sections and provided with a right and left hand screw-thread, nuts engaging the thread and rigid links pivoted to the nuts and to the complementary section.

3. In a loose-leaf ledger, the combination with a ledger-back comprising two complementary vertically-movable sections, of a plate secured to the under surface of the top of one of the sections, which top is eut away at its ends, end sections having inwardly-turned fianges closely fitting the cut-away portion of the top and engaging the plate for forming a smooth Connection with the top section, and telesooping` posts between the sections.

4. In a loose-leafl ledger, the combination with a ledger-back comprising two complementary vertically-movable sections,of a plate secured to the under surface of the top of one of the sections, which top is out away at its ends, end sections having inwardly-turned flanges closely fitting the eut-away portion and engaging the plate, teleseoping posts between the sections, means for adjusting the cover-sections, and means for limiting the inward movement of the sections.

In testimony whereotl I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

J AMES BARKER.

Witnesses:

L. J. WHITTEMORE, H. C. SMITH. 

